What if backup is too large for the new SSD (128 GB)?

I would like to buy backup and in the backup is included the Snow Leopard of course so that I don't need to install Snow Leopard in the first place to a new SSD, but the backup is over 280GB. Is there a way I can use only a portion of this backup to fill the SSD?

 

how did you make the backup?

and the best thing would be to waste 30 min and just install SL. and use time machine to move what you want.

 

Time Machine.

I would like to install SL and move what I want, but I'm having trouble doing that. I read that you can put the SL on USB drive to put on the computer, instead of a 8GB CD. So I bought a 16GB for $13 at Best Buy, thinking USB drive would be useful unlike CD that is virtually useless.

But I don't know how to put the SL to the U from a Windows7; I searched on GOogle and all I found is how to do that from a Mac.

I lost my SL CD Btw. Could I ask for a free one from the Apple store where I bought my MBP from?

 

since you already own it, you can download it from the internet, no violation done.

You could try going to an apple store, dunno what they can do for you.

When I did this for lion install, I simply opened the iso and copied the files.

 

I believe the laws in the U.S. are still a little gray when it comes to downloading copyrighted material from a non-approved source even when an original copy of said material was legally purchased. Last time I checked, it still fell under "fair use" but judges in the U.S. have interpreted that very differently over the years. I'm not saying the FBI or Homeland Security is going to knock down your door for downloading Snow Leopard from a shady website (actually judges have been throwing out copyright infringement claims and even requests from copyright shark lawyers to obtain personal information regarding IP addresses as an IP address can no longer be used to identify a single person in the U.S.) but I know the original copyright holder of the OS (i.e. Apple) wouldn't approve.

To the best of my knowledge, Apple will supply you a re-installation Snow Leopard DVD if you call them. They might have one in-stock at your local Apple store. They may not have one too as the OS re-installation DVD has to be made for your specific system. Either way, Apple should be able to give you a new disc whether you call or visit them locally.

You could also always go to a friend who has a Mac (running a minimum of Snow Leopard), pay $30, download Lion, burn that to a DVD and/or create an installation thumb drive (I believe burning the DVD is easier), install that on your system, and then use the migration assistant during the setup process. That will allow you to pick and chose which files and settings you want migrated over from your previous Time Machine backup. Worse comes to worst you can always buy OS X Snow Leopard for $30 or Lion on a bootable thumb drive for $60.

 

The problem now is that I only have a Windows computer besides the MBP that I'm trying to revive. And I don't know how to burn the SL file into a thumbdrive on W7. Can anyone help me with that?

 

I'm probably the only one not understanding, but to be clear...

you have a Macbook Pro 15"?

Is this the laptop you now have a 128GB SSD?

And you now have no means of booting it up to get into Disk Utility and therefore no means of formatting the USB thumb drive to OS X JOURNALED?

Do you still have the 320GB HD that is in your signature? Perhaps you can boot up using that and then use Disk Utility to format your USB. If that is not an option, ask your local Apple store if they would let you use one of their machines to format your USB. Actually, they should probably be able to help you recover your backup too... thats what those guys are there for, to help us.

 

Right. The Thumb Drive will need to be formatted using the Mac OS Journaled (i.e. HFS+) in order for your Mac to boot from it as that is what its firmware will require. There are 3rd party programs you can use so that Windows will be able to write to Mac OS Journaled but, from what I have read, they are buggy at best. You would be better off just using a Mac to do the formatting and to make the bootable thumb drive. As previously stated, you can either put your original HDD back in your MBP and make them yourself or you can go to an Apple Store and ask for assistance there.

 

I can't ask for assistance at Apple because I'm trying to do this with a torrented file, as I have lost the original CD.

The original HDD is dead.

I do have a family member who has a MacBook and I tried to do it on there but gave up after some difficulties. I'll make a post about that for help.

 

I know of two options:

1. Download and use TransMac for Windows ( TransMac Details). It's commercial but has a 15 day trial.

2. Linux has HFS+ write support and all the utilities you need to create a GUID partition table on a USB stick, create and format an HFS+ volume, mount the SL dmg and copy the files. If you don't have access to a Linux computer, make a Live CD (or Live USB).

 

I tried to this just now, but it doesn't boot from the usb. It does give the option of 'install from CD' which is a 2008 installation CD that I tried to boot from, but which didn't work and which I can't get it out of the machine. Perhaps it's because of the CD that usb is not working? Should I try to make the Geniuses at Apple take it out?

 

Backup installation DVDs will only work for the systems they come with. So a backup DVD for a different Mac, even if it runs the same OS as yours, will not work. Have you thought about going to a friend's house, downloading Lion, and making a bootable DVD/thumb drive from that instead of trying to do this with a pirated copy of Snow Leopard?

 

What is the difference between using a pirated copy and a friend's copy, if it only works for the systems they come with?

 

You would be using a pirated copy of OS X which is different than using a backup installation DVD. The installation DVDs have more than just the OS as they have system specific drivers and a few other things. A pirated copy of OS X is just that: OS X. It will come with drivers but it is the same thing that they sell in the stores so it will work with more systems.

Either way, if you know someone running at least Snow Leopard, you shouldn't have any issues paying for Lion and making a bootable thumb drive/DVD. You can even buy Snow Leopard for about $30-$40 and use that. Or contact Apple and see if they can send you the re-installation DVD for your system. Either way, you shouldn't be looking to pirate software or use a backup DVD for anything other than your system.

 

I tried number one but it didn't work. Am I missing something?
If I run Linux on VirtualBox could I make it work?
I thought live CD is booting up from the CD and doesn't install, just boots up?

 

What didn't work?

Yes, booting a live CD runs Linux from a RAM drive. Using Linux in VirtualBox is possible but that would be harder because you'd have to go through the process of installing Linux and it will take up space on your HDD.

 

Thank you all. I went to an Apple store and they just used a CD there to install the SN. Such a simple solution after all.

Now I need to restore my last hard drive and then figure out how to move only those apps and files I want to be in this much lesser sized (128GB) SSD.